LEPIDOPTERA OF NEW ZEALAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1056, 24 September 1883, Page 2

LEPIDOPTERA OF NEW ZEALAND.

1 IJhoßewhb feel interested-In th 6 entomology of New Zealand will perhaps be a ■ little surprised to learn that a resident of I Ashburton possesses one of the finest col-.' 3 lectionof itslepidoptera that ithasbeen our 3 fortune to inspect. Many colonists, no Y doubt, have spent much time in making 1 collections of our New Zealand butterflies • and moths, but we question very much if i they ever possessed autih an extremely in-J 1 teresting variety as is now to be seen at 1 the house of the aforesaid Ashburton resi- ■ dent. Accepting a' kind invitation, we 31 took the opportunity of 'interviewing Mr 1 Smith, a market gardener, East Belt, with 1 the object, of seeing for ourselves the ■1 native butterflies and moths which he had fc collected luring years’'residence in i New Zealand ,Mr Smith, who,is an en* 8 tiuisiastic field naturalUty has qufte ! a little • museum in his house, but the centre of atr is,‘ of CoulrSo, his collection of n lepidoptera. In a large flat case fired P againsjt ]Hrall is seen, what at fipjt ap- • pears to be a large number of ‘dotted: r rings, which, on closer examination, is 8 found to be, composed entirely of New t Zealand butterflies, the rows radiating ® from two large ones in the centre, form--1 ing a huge spider’s web iu appearance. - This collection consists of 2,000 specimens, • many of which are of the most interesting s and beautiful forms, and-were collected f on the Southern Alps, at altitudes rang- > ing from 2,000 to 4,000 feet. When the , beautiful flora of these regions are in full i bloom is the time for capturing many, of ) the finest insects, and during December, > January, and February they may ;he ■ looked for among the various species of i celinesia, danthoria, carmichelia; etc. > On the flowers of the latter plant Mr > Smith says that in January, 1881, at an altitude of 2,600 feet, he found the ' smaller tiger moth in abundance. Two i diurnal species of yellow underwing i moths, and the bronze wing moth he took ■ at 1,506 feet. The collector therefore finds that during the spring and summer i months his labor for climbing to these altitudes is amply rewarded with the

> grand display of veronicas in full bloom that is presented on all sides. Of course there are disappointments to contend against, as Mr Smith says that in some seasons the insects are scarce, owing to unfavorable weather when the eggs are hatched. Generally, however, with a little perseverance the collector succeeds in procuring rare and beautiful insects. It is said that the lepidoptera of New Zealand “is poor compared with other countries,” but no one should be deterred from collecting on that account, as up to the present time it is very imperfectly . known. Mr Smith, thinks that there are numbers of species unknown which will be found on the Alpine regions of New Zealand by future enterprising collectors. In comparison with the collections of other countries, we fully believe that New Zealand has quite as interesting and even beautiful lepidoptera, as is to be found in any other part of the world. Mr Smith’s collection contains some very fine hawk and tiger moths, many of the latter reared from the caterpillars by, himself. In ornithology, Mr Smith has also been particularly fortunate in his collection. One case contains a group of the order Raptorea (birds of prey) properly sexed, including specimens of the five known species indigenous to New Zealand. Mr Smith tells us that he has collected more specimens of the quail hawk than any other collector in New Zealand, and was the first European to procure the eggs of the laughing owl, and breeding them in captivity he produced the first specimens known to science. In the same ease ware five specimens of the laughing owl, two bush hawks, two harrier hawks and the well known morepork. Mr Smith informs us that a mistaken notion is current in this country that a bird: known as the “laughing jackass” exists in New Zealand, but has never been seen or caught. This bird is no other than the laughing owl, and may be seen in Mr Smith’s collection. He kept a male and female bird alive for two years and .succeeded in obtaining eggs for both seasons, and two of the birds re. now in the aviary of Dr Buller, in Wellington, who was extremely pleased in obtaining-.Mc Smith’s specimens Which put the.matter beyond a doubt. Intwo of the species of falcons,- some considerable doubt,, ; Mr Smith states, stilly exists, a? to the specific distinction between tha quail'and'Bparrow hawk, because of the close resemblance in the markings of the two birds. He says that thg size of the two species, (he colors of the eggs and young

■-v birds, and the habits of the two differ materially, and when properly sszed all doubt is re oved. In speaking upon this subject Mr Smith, it must he remarked, is no novice as he has reared both species from the neat, and this must be taken as the proper method of determining the specific distinctions. Space forbids us from further description of the interesting collection obtained by Mr Smith in the Mount Peel district and other places in New Zealand—but to the Ashburton naturalist about to collect speoimens4( is pleasing to know that he can, on calling at Mr Smith’s house, obtain very useful and. practical instruction, and information in connection with the* entomology;, and of his adopted country from one who is in every way capable* of imparting it; ' ' * '. X